The soldier who returned from the eternal war

Only the one who is waiting will appreciate the meeting,

Separation is no one's fault -

Those who didn't like it extinguish the candles,

Those who love are burning inside.

El Tweet

       It happened not so long ago. That day, the Pabu was greeted by the "Marauder" with an alarming swell of the sea and overcast clouds hanging over the island.        Phee arrives at the landing site in advance to meet her friends, but as soon as the ramp descends, she realizes that something is wrong. Only Hunter, Wrecker and Echo come out of the ship, their faces clouded with sadness and despair.        Phee approaches them, but before the first question about their mission leaves her lips, she notices that two members of the team are missing. Omega did not return and...       "What... what happened?" Phee asks, as if in a dream. "Where's Omega and... Tech?"        The remaining crew members look at each other with expressions of cruel agony on their faces, and a ringing silence hangs in the air, leaving her question unanswered.        Hunter silently hands her the broken glasses. Phee picks them up and looks at the remains of the once yellow glasses in a rubber frame. She understands everything without words. The girl's heart seems to skip a beat, and her breath catches from tears suddenly welling up in her eyes.        Then she thought she would never see him again. Something not very warm farewell that could happen between two people in whose relationship a romantic spark flashed will be all that will remain in Phee's memory of a brilliantly intelligent clone with beautiful brown eyes. She didn't blame Tech for his aloofness and coldness during their last meeting, because she was condescending to his character. After all, she knew that behind the outward aloofness and arrogance there was a big and kind heart, capable of love.        But now he was standing in front of her, not completely unharmed, but, most importantly, alive. He tried to smile at her, but the smile came out more forced than joyful. Now he was not wearing ordinary armor, but instead some kind of gray uniform, similar to the clothes of a prisoner, his glasses were raised on his forehead, and, looking closer, Phee realized why: his entire face, especially the area around his beautiful and expressive brown eyes, was covered with bruises and wounds. The girl's breath caught in her throat from his haggard face and wearily drooping shoulders. Tech has always had a proud and noble bearing, but what happened to him now?       "Hello, Phee," he said softly, and a guilty expression flashed across his face. "I'm sorry that I flew away without really saying goodbye..." The clone began, hesitating and shifting awkwardly from one foot to the other, but Phee was already close enough to him to stop him by taking his hand. He looked at her in surprise. Apparently, his eyesight was fine, since he could see her clearly without glasses.        "It's okay, Tech," Phee said softly. "Your brothers told me that you are..." She spoke, feeling tears sting her eyes, and breathing became more difficult with each word. ,"That you're dead!" Phee gently touched his cheek with her hand, still not believing in the reality of what was happening. How could Tech be here if he's dead? Was it all a mirage or a dream? Or?..       "To deny it would be disrespectful to you," he replied quietly, looking intently into the girl's eyes. He was deeply sorry that he had caused her so much trouble. A fleeting sense of guilt flashed through his eyes. He was infinitely glad to see Phee again, when he had already accepted that this would never happen again on the monorail, but he did not regret that he had put the life of his squad above his own. That's what any of his brothers would do in his place. That's what any soldier would do. "But thanks to the miracle in the person of the imperial doctor, I still survived".        "So you were a prisoner of the Imperials?" Phee asked incredulously, pulling away from him a little, but still staring intently at his face.        "Yes," Tech nodded. Straightforwardness and honesty were among his main qualities.       The next moment, Phee impulsively rushed to him and hugged him tightly, wrapping her arms around his neck.        "Oh, Brown Eyes, I told you not to run off!" She exclaimed in a raised tone, tears could be heard in her voice, which the girl could barely hold back. "Don't you ever decide to be a hero again, you can't do that to me!.. Ever again!" Phee's voice faltered slightly on the last word, and she quieted down, only squeezing Tech tighter in her arms. Right now, she didn't care how he survived and escaped from captivity, how he returned to the Pabu, the main thing was that he was still alive. Phee's greatest joy was mixed with the pain and fear of his loss when his brothers gave her the broken glasses.        Tech was shocked by the flurry of her movements and words. Being in her sincere and joy-filled embrace, he painfully realized how much Phee cared about him. And Tech felt mutual sympathy for her, although he often did not understand her hints and sometimes simply did not know how to behave with her. But after a long separation, he realized that he was looking forward to this meeting.        "See you later, Brown Eyes."        And this meeting took place, despite everything, even death. And right now, the last thing he wanted to do was leave her warmth. All he wanted was to prolong this thrilling moment of reunion. He finally relaxed in Phee's arms and, closing his eyes, buried his face in her neck, hugging her back.        "I know, I know... Not again... " The clone whispered, inhaling the scent of the sea and violets.        "Never again!" Phee replied in the same whisper.        "I promise," he breathed.       These words were imprinted with a visible trace in the hearts of both. The joy of reunion was followed by an extraordinary lightness from the euphoria that engulfed Tech. Yes, there were enough unsaid things between him and Phee, but he was sure that they would be resolved in time.        All his life, he was trained only for war and did not even lay the idea that someone would look forward to his return home. Home... After the destruction of the Kamino, Tech and his siblings did not have a home, and Phee gave them the opportunity to find one and start a full life here on the Pabu. Far from the Empire, forgetting about the war for good. And it was she who sincerely waited for him, even after the disastrous news of his death. And here she is, in his arms, his undefeated war and one victory forever.       They stood hugging for a while longer, and then Phee gently pulled away from Tech and, taking his hand, led him somewhere. Tears of happiness still glistened in her dark eyes, and a wide smile shone on her lips.        "Come on, your brothers will be very happy to see you," she said.        Tech obediently followed her, led by the hand, and smiled warmly. Probably staying at the Pabu forever was still a great idea.